In recent years, cell stack devices in which a plurality of solid oxide fuel cells (sometimes referred to simply as “fuel cells” hereinafter) serving as cells capable of generating electrical power using a fuel gas (hydrogen-containing gas) and an oxygen-containing gas (air) are electrically arranged have been proposed as next-generation energy sources. Meanwhile, various types of fuel cell modules in which a cell stack device is housed in a housing container, as well as various types of fuel cell devices in which such a fuel cell module is housed in an external case, have also been proposed (see Patent Document 1, for example).
In such a cell stack device, a plurality of fuel cells, each having a flat plate shaped support body with a pair of main surfaces, are electrically connected in series with electrically conductive members, and the fuel cells and electrically conductive members are connected using an electrically conductive joining material (see Patent Document 2, for example).
Furthermore, a porous collection layer containing electrically conductive particles made from a perovskite-type composite oxide and fibrous bodies made from alumina, which aims to suppress firing shrinkage so as to suppress cracking and ensure high power generation performance for extended periods, is known as a porous collection layer for electrically connecting adjacent fuel cells (see Patent Document 3, for example).